Determine how African-Americans have broken barriers in this history lesson. Middle schoolers discuss the 15th Amendment and the American civil rights movement prior to analyzing Barack Obama's speech "A More Perfect Union," taking care...

Encourage young learners to explore the United States with this printable map puzzle. A fun activity that engages children in learning US geography.

Have your class fill out this comprehension sheet while reading about the powers of Congress. There are ten multiple choice questions focused on the rights, powers, and limitations of Congressional law.

Have your class examine the issues surrounding same-sex marriage, civil rights, and proposition 8. They read a New York Times article entitled "Proposition 8 Struck Down" and then answer 10 who, what, when, where, and why questions....

Equal rights, state law, and Civil Partnerships is the topic of this class discussion. Upper graders hone their research skills to engage in an intelligent and well-supported discussion on the Civil Partnership Act of 2004. Provided are...

Young scholars explore life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr., reflect on section of King's "I Have a Dream" speech, discuss inequities that still exist in the United States, and create picture books about their own dreams of freedom...

Students explore controversial current events. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students research selected issues and examine the issues from different perspectives. Students script and record news stories that feature their findings.

Students analyze the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. In this U.S. government lesson, students examine books, movies, and music that influence them today and then investigate writings that influenced the framers of the...

Each one of our quarters is embellished with a famous face or image representing the state it came from. This activity uses South Dakota's state quarter to get kids thinking about monetary value, what the president of the United States...

Explore the symbols and special features of Oklahoma. By focusing on Oklahoma's state bird, the flycatcher, learners identify similes, write metaphors, and answer questions about this famous state symbol.

Here's a quick look at the Johnson presidency. Each of his major acts are discussed with images and video web links. The Voting Rights Act, Tet Offensive, Civil Rights Act, and War on Poverty are defined.

Work on author's purpose with this lesson plan, which focuses on sequence of events and audience as well.  Middle and high schoolers describe the 50 State Quarters Program for background information. After discussing the images on...

In this social studies worksheet, 3rd graders complete multiple choice questions about laws, government, states, and more. Students complete 25 questions.

Fifth graders get critical and political while they begin thinking about human and animal rights in relation to the US Constitution. This hand out includes answers to several questions regarding Cesar Chavez and his work to secure rights...

Have an engaging class discussion on the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, and the Supreme Court. Learners examine multiple aspects of the Marbury v. Madison case and the impact that case had on the judicial system in the U.S. Web...

Young scholars reflect and discuss the major events that happened in the United States in the 1950's and 1960's.  In this U.S. History lesson, students read and analyze the famous speeches during this time frame, then complete a...

Here is another in the interesting series of lessons that use the special State Quarters as a learning tool. During this lesson, pupils learn about lighthouses, maps, the cardinal directions on a compass, and U.S. geography. There are...

Students create PowerPoint presentations about women's suffrage. In this women's rights instructional activity, students use primary documents to study the women's suffrage movement. In pairs, students create a PowerPoint presentation...

This PowerPoint provides elementary students with a basic overview of the structure and workings of the US Government. Students will be introduced to the 3 branches of Federal and State Government, the Bill of Rights, and Amendments 1,...

Whether your class responds to the blog linked to this article, or just answers the nine related questions, they're in for an eye-opening read. Pupils consider animal rights as they read a New York Times article about two men who have...

Can schools ban t-shirts picturing musical groups or bands? Your young citizens will find out with this resource, which includes a summary of a United States Supreme Court case from the 1960s about a similar dispute over students wearing...

Eighty-eight years after women earned the right to vote, a women ran for president. Young analysts consider the role women play in politics, how they are portrayed, the standards they are held to, and if they are still treated unfairly...

Has life changed for American women in the last century, or are there common themes between the lives of 21st century women and the struggle of suffragettes from the 1910s? Explore the ways media reflects the position of women...

President Abraham Lincoln: a true humanitarian or a savvy politician? The lesson focuses on Abraham Lincoln's presidency and the secession of the southern states. Academics interpret how Lincoln's presidential platform promoting African...